New P&O Cruises ship Arvia sailed into its home port of Southampton yesterday prior to its maiden cruise to the Canary Islands on Friday.
The 5,200-passenger vessel, the second in the fleet to be powered by liquefied natural gas (LNG), saw the first cruise pushed back from December 9 due to reasons beyond the control of the company.
At 185,000 tonnes and with 16 passenger decks, Arvia will then reposition for a winter season of Caribbean cruises before returning to run Mediterranean itineraries next summer.
P&O Cruises president Paul Ludlow, who was on board for the arrival as Arvia after a journey from its shipyard in Germany, said: “It was a truly remarkable moment as, after the years of design and build, Arvia arrived into Southampton ahead of the maiden voyage and then departure for the Caribbean season.”
He described Arvia as being the latest evolution in the P&O Cruises experience, embodying the newest trends in travel, dining and entertainment and is “the epitome of a sunshine resort sailing year-round to the warmest climates”.
He added: “It takes its sister ship Iona’s design aesthetic and general arrangement but provides new and exciting outside and inside spaces which make the most of Arvia’s deployment to the Caribbean and the Mediterranean.
“We cannot wait for our first guests to be on board this week to see the extraordinary attention to detail, design of the restaurants and bars, scale of the theatre, the layout and new brands in the retail area and the exhilarating top deck activities.
“We are seeing a new generation recognising the value for money and individuality of a holiday at sea.”